From exploring the dual relationship between humans and non-human animals to deconstructing the layers of American propaganda and fiction; from the climate emergency to the inevitable challenges in its wake. This is a milestone celebration, and we can’t wait to share it with you!
Philip Montgomery’s first solo exhibition in Poland creates a compelling visual map of the contemporary United States. At the main festival center, We, Animals invites us to re-examine our relationship with our non-human companions—critically, attentively, and with tenderness. Meanwhile, Heritage Lens brings together twelve artists to alert us to the profound impact of climate change on Europe’s cultural heritage. Today, we unveil a major part of this year’s program.
WE, ANIMALS
Our relationship with animals is a mirror of our own humanity. We, Animals confronts how industrialization has reduced our non-human companions to commodities, inviting us to look again—critically and with tenderness. By reversing perspectives, the exhibition opens new pathways for coexistence.
Nikita Teryoshin explores ‘backyard cats’ as a grounded alternative to internet memes, while Feng Li documents domestic life with his family pig. Maija Tammi draws a poignant parallel between a mother octopus’s sacrifice and her own postpartum self-portrait. Marta Bogdańska examines animal agency, and Alfio Tommasini calls for reconnection. Carlos Alba uses London’s red foxes to highlight inequality and labor, while Ang Siew Ching reveals the hidden costs animals pay to sustain modern society. Finally, Richard Barnes explores our impulse to conquer nature, contrasted with Jaap Scheeren’s intimate hope for a mutual affection with the natural world.
CITY PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS REVEALED
Philip Montgomery’s Polish debut showcases a decade of American history through iconic black-and-white photography. Mapping a society defined by political upheaval and fueled social tensions, his work captures both friction and fragile solidarity. At the new festival center, Augustin Rebetez presents a ‘total art’ universe—a chaotic, multidisciplinary fusion where humor meets the grotesque. Nearby, Luke Stephenson’s vibrant outdoor survey offers a rare, meticulously composed glimpse into the hidden world of competitive birds.
Twelve artists gather to create an atlas for the present tense, the result of a two-year European project, this exhibition explores the impact of the climate crisis on Europe’s cultural heritage.
The list of exhibitions already announced from the Main and City Program can be seen on the sub-page: LINK
More highlights of the program will be announced soon – Photobook Program, more on City Program, SpinOFF Fotofestiwal, and many others. Stay tuned!
